2017

Education HQ

2016

NZ Catholic

Katolskt Magasin - Catholic Magazine Sweden

Cans 4 Christmas in New Zealand

"We want the initiative to spread"

In the Km 12/2016 we told you about design-know Cans 4 Christmas in Auckland, New Zealand. We have interviewed Bill Hadnett, who took the initiative for the project to help vulnerable and poor families.

Bill Hadnett lives in Auckland with his wife and their two children, Marianna and Rosa maria. As a child, he went to the Catholic school, and he does still; the last ten years he has worked as a teacher in a few Catholic schools.

He loves his country and his city but is concerned over the increased poverty.

-The standard of living has dropped considerably and especially distressing is that so many families are struggling.

2015 took the initiative for the project Bill Hadnett tet Cans 4 Christmas as part of trying to help the vulnerable. Even then, he realized that the real needs that are not met by the public, "he told Km.

"I wanted to organise something that was easy to implement. The idea of food preserves came to because I wanted to find an easy way to give to the needy. To collect canned food is something tangible, and what is more concrete than food?

Strong commitment

The first year we organised a school day free from school uniform – what is known as a mufti day – and allowed students to "pay" for the day with their loved. The result was over 4 000 collected canned goods and a high level of commitment from both parents and children.

2016 extended to operations to collect tin cans from the public,-ten, something that has been popular in both the lower and the higher school classes. Bill Hadnett argues that the collection is part of the idea that the Catholic Church is a church of service.

"It is fundamental for the whole Church. We all have a duty not only to be aware that there are people in need but also to do something about it. The Catholic Church is not a faceless Church found only where

in form of a sanctuary on Sundays – it is we, the people, which is the Church. And most men people really want to help but may not know quite how. This was an easy and convenient way for them to get involved, "says Bill.

The first year was attended by 16 Catholic schools in the project. 2016 attended 20 schools and we got together over 8 000 preserved foods and other dry goods, with a value equivalent to 70 000 kroons. Just in time for Christmas, the food was handed out to hundreds of families in Auckland, via a pair of Catholic charity purity establishments.

Hope to spread

Now planning Bill Hadnett and the other eldsjä-articles already for next Christmas:

"This is something that will come back year-nally. And I expect it to get bigger every year, "he said enthusiastically to Km.

Bill's long-term plan is to spread the initiative throughout New Zealand. Through newsletters and a website where people can donate money, he Cans 4 Christmas known to the general public outside of Auckland. And he is convinced that it will succeed.

"It's the simplicity of it that makes it easy for others to follow suit. There will always be people in need. The 11 000 conce-ver we collected Christmas 2016 was not enough even to all in Auckland. But there are many of us who both want to and can provide. This is a way to do it, and to show the Christian solidarity with vulnerable element. I encourage everyone to organize your own check-in collections for the hungry.